This crockpot chipotle shredded beef is extremely tender, delicious & full of flavor! It’s so versatile & perfect for all your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes!
I love a good crockpot meal and this crockpot shredded beef is one of my family’s go-to recipes! It’s so easy to put together and the flavor is out-of-this-world! We love making a big batch to use for dinners and leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day!
You’re going to love this easy crockpot dinner! It features tender chunks of beef seasoned in bold Mexican spices then slow cooked with onions, peppers, garlic and a variety of citrus juices! The end result is tender, flavorful and literally melts-in-your-mouth!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Boneless beef chuck roast: Look for beef roast that has a decent amount of marbling for the best flavor. (Don’t worry if there’s a large section of fat – you’ll be removing it when you shred the beef.)
Beef broth: We use low sodium beef broth for ours.
Oranges & limes: You’ll need at least 1 orange and 2-3 limes for this recipe. (Look for citrus that has smooth skin and gives in slightly when you give it a gentle squeeze. This means they’re extra juicy!)
Water: You’ll need a ¼ cup of water to add to your crockpot.
Chipotle peppers in adobo: We’re using one chipotle pepper for this recipe. (Don’t use the sauce!) Make sure to remove the seeds if you don’t want the beef too spicy.
White onion: White onion work the best! It almost “caramelizes” in the bottom of crockpot while the beef cooks. (Leave your onions in large slices for the best results.)
Garlic: Leave your garlic whole when adding it to the crockpot. The cloves will cook as the beef cooks and you can “mash”/mix them into your shredded beef later for extra flavor!
Cilantro: Use the leaves and stems for maximum flavor!
Spices: Chipotle powder, paprika, dried oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt and black pepper are needed to season your beef!
How To Make Crockpot Chipotle Shredded Beef
1. Season the beef. Mix your spices together then cut the beef into large pieces (about 3-4 inches). Toss/rub the beef with your spices until every piece is fully coated.
2. Cook. Cut the onion into large slices and place them in the bottom of your crockpot. Then add the garlic, beef broth, orange juice, lime juice, water and chopped chipotle pepper to the pot. Place your seasoned beef chunks on top of the onions and sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top. Cover the cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. Shred and serve! Once done, transfer the beef and onions to a tray and reserve some of the juice from the crockpot. (Discard the rest of the liquid if desired.) Use 2 large forks to shred the beef and remove any large fat pieces. Serve immediately in your Mexican-inspired recipes! (Alternatively, you can add the beef back to the crockpot along with your reserved juice to keep it moist.)
Serving Suggestions
We love using this shredded beef for a variety Mexican-inspired dishes! Here are a few of our favorite ways to serve it!
- Crispy Shredded Beef Tacos! Stuffed with lots of cheese and shredded beef then baked until crispy! (Best served with my avocado-cilantro sauce!😉)
- Shredded Beef Burrito Bowls! Top it over white rice or Spanish rice and add all your favorite taco toppings!
- Beef Tostadas! Spread a layer of refried beans over tostada shells and top with shredded beef, guacamole, pico de gallo and cheese!
- Beef Taco Salad! Fill a bowl with lettuce, shredded beef, tomatoes, onion, avocado and cheese! Use your favorite salsa as the “dressing”!
- Shredded Beef Enchiladas! Use the beef as a filling for your favorite enchilada recipe!
This recipe makes a lot of shredded beef – making it perfect to serve for football parties, potlucks or anytime you’re hosting a large group. Plus leftovers keep well so it’s a great lunch meal prep idea too! (Charlie and I can usually make it last for 2 dinners plus 1-2 lunches during the week.)
Why you’ll love this Mexican shredded beef recipe!
- So versatile! Use it for tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, salads, nachos – the possibilities are endless!
- Easy to put together! Add all your ingredients to a crockpot, set it & forget it! The slow cooker does all the work!
- Perfect for a crowd! This recipe makes A LOT of shredded beef so it’s perfect for hosting large parties!
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Crockpot Chipotle Shredded Beef
Ingredients
- 2.5 – 3 lbs. boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 Tbsp chipotle powder
- 1 Tbsp paprika (or smoked paprika)
- ½ Tbsp dried oregano
- ½ Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 medium white onion, sliced
- 5 garlic cloves (left whole)
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¼ cup orange juice (fresh juice is the best!)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, deseeded & chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (leaves & stems)
Instructions
- Season the beef. Cut the beef into large pieces (about 3-4 inches) and add it to a bowl. Then mix the chipotle powder, paprika, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt and pepper together.Toss/rub the beef with your spices until every piece is fully coated.
- Cook. Place the sliced onion and garlic in the bottom of your crockpot. Then add the beef broth, orange juice, lime juice, water and chopped chipotle pepper. Place the spiced beef pieces on top of the onions and sprinkle your chopped cilantro over the top.Cover the cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Shred and serve. Once done, transfer the beef and onions to a large tray and reserve some of the juice from the crockpot. (Discard the rest of the liquid if desired.)Shred the beef using 2 large forks and remove any large fat pieces. Serve immediately in your favorite Mexican-inspired recipes! (Alternatively, you can add the shredded beef back to the crockpot along with some of the juice to keep it moist.)
Does the fat melt away or do you have to remove when shredding?
Hi Amanda! You’ll have to remove the larger pieces of fat while shredding. It’s pretty easy to do though! 🙂 (Thanks for the question – I’ll revise the directions to make that a little more clear.)
What’s the spice level? Would you recommend omitting anything when making for kids? Thanks!
Hi Drew! This recipe can easily be made mild or super spicy depending on your spice preference. The way it’s written now – there’s a little bit of a kick but it’s not overpowering. If you’re nervous though, I would leave out the chipotle pepper and only use the chipotle seasoning. (Every can of chipotle peppers seems to be different too – some are more mild than others.) I hope this helps!